As metropoles all over the world are encouraging urban food production, agriculture is making its way back to the cities. Urban farming in its modern forms looks cool (check #rooftopgarden), helps to green and cool down urban heat islands, and produces food that has positive associations: local, fresh, sustainable.
Urban Greenhouse Challenge has been set up to explore the potential of urban farming in all its forms. The third edition of this international student competition focuses on urban farming as a catalyst for social impact.
How can it create benefits for local residents? What is needed to design a socially inclusive concept? Can urban farms play a role in bringing back social justice?
In the opening event of the Urban Greenhouse Challenge#3, Dr. Sabine O'Hara (University of the District of Columbia), Tiffany Tsui (Vertical Farm Institute), and Dr. Sigrid Wertheim-Heck (Wageningen University & Research) will discuss those and other questions related to impact of the urban farming beyond food production. The event will be presented by Simone Ritzer, Programme Facilitator Wageningen Dialogues.
Wageningen University organized the Kick-off Event of the Urban Farming Challenge, "Urban farming beyond food production" which will take place on 3 November 2021, from 4.00 to 5.30 PM CET.
Urban farms often struggle to survive economically. The land in the cities is expensive, making it difficult to scale up the production to the levels that make it financially feasible, especially with current food prices. They often rely on subsidies and volunteer labor. In this situation, what can be the benefits of the urban farms for the local economies? This will be the main question the participating teams will try to answer.
For more information and to register, click here.
For more information:
WUR Urban Greenhouse Challenge
studentchallenges@wur.nl
urbangreenhousechallenge.nl